MASTERS' MINDSET

On September 1st, we will be launching a new website platform.Mobile compatibility, daily age specific leaderboards, workout tracking and more.We will also be introducing our Pre-Masters Division, for Ages 35-39.

To say the least, I am very excited.

In conjunction, on September 1st, we will be launching into our next micro-cycle of olympic lifting and squatting. This will take us to the end of October, and doubling back to our Programming Philosophy, we will then turn to a focus of building stamina strength as we draw closer to 2017.

This will be a full week of training.Next week, (Monday the 29th), we will be conducting a deload week.

Mobility

Thoracic Foam Rolling - 1:00 each sideSpend time mashing out your upper back to improve your front rack and overhead position. There is a decent amount of time with the bar on the shoulders in today's programming.

2) Conditioning

The perscribed counts above are challenging - most competative athletes will need to modify the repetitions per minute. Modify the repetitions, but keep the 30 minutes EMOM in check.

The best way of finding your appropriate numbers for this workout is to do a trial 2-Minute run.First Minute - Row for 40 secondsSecond Minute - Burpees for 40 seconds

Aim to hold a pace that believe you would hold for the actual workout. At the 40 second mark of each minute, stop and right down the amount of calories/burpees you scored. These are your target numbers per round.

Lastly. This workout becomes challenging, not only physically, but mentally. Focus on the process of this endevour - not the endstate. It will be expected for the athlete to doubt themselves at the 10 minute mark, with the inevitable negative talk attempting to work it's way in. "I'm already this gassed." ... "How can I make 20 more minutes?" ...

As athletes in training, use today as an opportunity to focus on small goals, also known as micro-goals. "I just need to finish this round of 15 calories." "I just need to get one more round of burpees." Use today as an opportunity to hone in on the present, and let all other factors and thoughts stay out of the mind.

One of the most inspiring demonstrations of micro-goals is that of a Navy Seal, one that was part of Operation Redwings. Many of us may know of the mission, which resulted in the loss of Lieutentant Michael P. Murphy ("Murph"). Marcus Lattrell was the lone survivor that day, and is the reason why we know of Murph's heroic story.

Shortly after Murph was killed, Marcus was blown off the side of a cliff by a rocket-propelled grenade. Tumbling to the bottom, Marcus was rendered unconcious for many hours. When we came back to, Marcus had some issues to face.

Several bullet wounds and schrapnel covered his body. He had a broken femur, and a shattered arm. Most ribs were broken along with a punctured lung. His nose was bashed into his face, and he bit half of his tongue off in the fall. All of these wounds were the least of the pains he felt that moment however. Marcus lost his team. His brothers. There were all killed in the fight. Further, he had no radio communication, no rifle, no map, no food or water. Marcus couldn't take a knee given his injuries, no less stand. He was confined to crawling on his stomach, if he wanted to make any movement at all.

His only hope was an Afghani village, 2 miles away. If he could make it to that village, he could find a way to contact friendly forces. In his current condition however, traveling two miles seemed next to impossible.

Marcus however did not focus on the endstate. Instead, he focused on the process.

Marcus reached for a stick on the ground, and drew a line in the sand, one foot in front of him. He put the stick down at the line, and crawled on his stomach with everything he had to that line. 1 foot down. He reached back for his stick, redrew another line. 2 feet down.

For 2 straight days, Marcus repeated this process. Marcus reached that Afghani village. If he for a moment allowed himself to think of the endstate - to cover two miles on his stomach with the wounds he had, the fight would have been over. His demonstration of mental fortitude and perserverance is why we call this workout what it is.